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You lost her, Cahil repeated. He frowned as he stared at the faces of the four unhappy men who stood
in front of him. Where s Goel? he asked.
A mumbled reply.
You lost him, too? Outrage gripped Cahil s face.
The men cringed and stammered.
I suppressed the urge to laugh out loud. My position near his campsite afforded me a clear view of Cahil
and his men, while I remained hidden under my camouflage. I had used the waning daylight and the
clamor of the search party s arrival to move closer to the clearing.
You re a bunch of bumbling fools. Searching a prisoner for weapons and anything that would help an
escape, is standard procedure. Cahil glared at his men. A complete and thorough search. You don t
stop because you found one weapon. Cahil stared at his men until they fidgeted. Captain Marrok?
Yes, my lord. Marrok snapped to attention.
If Goel doesn t return by first light, I want you to lead a search party to find him. He s our best chance
of recovering that spy, Cahil ordered.
Yes, sir.
Cahil stalked off to his tent. When he was gone, I could see the grim faces of his men as they stood
around the campfire. The smell of roasting meat made my stomach complain. I hadn t eaten all day, but I
couldn t risk making any noise. With a sigh, I squirmed into a comfortable position, settling in for a long
wait.
Keeping alert proved difficult once the men had gone to sleep. Captain Marrok posted two guards, who
circled the campsite. Using magic had drained me and I fought my heavy eyelids until I gave up and
dozed for a while. The dream image of Goel s hands on my neck jerked me awake in the middle of the
night.
The guards were on the far side of the camp. I used my magic to send the sleeping men into a deeper
slumber. The guards, though, fought hard. The image of the harsh punishment their comrades had
received for falling asleep on guard duty the night before kept them vigilant. So I tried the don t look
command as I crept toward Cahil s tent.
Upon reaching the back wall of the tent, I triggered my switchblade and cut a slit in the fabric. Then I
entered the tent through that small opening.
Cahil was asleep. Leif looked like he hadn t heard my entrance. Curled up on his side with one arm
dangling over the edge of the cot, he appeared to be sleeping. Cahil lay on his back, his arms crossed
over his stomach. His long sword rested on the floor within Cahil s reach. I moved the weapon away
before I sat on his chest.
The instant he awoke, I had my blade pressed against his throat. Quiet or I ll kill you, I whispered.
His eyes widened. He tried to move his arms, but my weight pinned them down. Cahil could muscle me
off, but I pushed the blade s point into his skin. A drop of blood welled.
Don t move, I said. Your sword is out of reach. I m not that stupid.
So I m learning, he whispered.
I felt him relax.
What do you want? Cahil asked.
A truce.
What kind?
You stop trying to drag me to the Citadel in chains and I ll accompany you there as a fellow traveler.
What do I get out of the deal?
You get Goel back and my cooperation.
You have Goel?
I dangled the manacles keys over his face.
How can I trust you when your brother doesn t trust you?
I m offering a truce. So far, I ve had two opportunities to kill you. You re a real threat to Ixia. If I were
a true spy, your death would make me famous in the north.
And if I renege on this truce?
I shrugged. I ll escape again. But this time, I ll leave Goel s dead body behind.
He s a good tracker, Cahil said with pride.
Unfortunately.
If I say no to your offer?
Then I m gone, leaving you to find Goel.
Dead?
Yes. I bluffed.
Why come back? You took care of Goel. He was the only threat to you.
Because I want the chance to prove that I m not a spy, I said with frustration. I m a Zaltana. And I m
not going to run like a criminal, because I m not guilty. But I don t want to be your prisoner. And& I
couldn t explain anymore. I sighed. He was right. If my own brother didn t trust me, why should Cahil? I
had gambled and lost.
Time for plan B. I would run. My safest course would be to find Irys. I withdrew my switchblade from
Cahil s throat. After a full day on the lam without food or sleep, a bone-deep fatigue overcame me. I
jumped off of Cahil.
I m not going to kill anybody. I backed toward the slit I had cut in the tent, keeping my eyes on Cahil.
When I turned to find the rip in the fabric, a sudden wave of dizziness overcame me, and I stumbled to
the ground. The tent spun and I lost consciousness for a mere moment as all my energy fled. I regained
my wits in time to see Cahil pick up my switchblade.
Chapter Eight
Cahil moved away and lit the lantern on his bedside table. He examined my switchblade in the
candlelight.
My lord? a voice called through the door.
I braced myself, preparing to be accosted and manacled by a rush of guards.
Everything s fine, Cahil called.
Very good, sir.
I heard the guard move away and I looked at Cahil in surprise. Perhaps he wanted me to tell him where
Goel was before he reclaimed me. I sat up and glanced at Leif. His eyes were closed, but I didn t
know if the light and Cahil s voice had roused him.
These markings are very familiar, Cahil said, referring to the six symbols engraved on the handle of my
switchblade. My uncle s secret battle codes, I believe. His gaze returned to me.
His sleep-tousled hair reinforced my first impression of his youth, but a sharp intelligence danced in his
eyes.
I nodded. The codes had been used by the King of Ixia to send secret messages to his captains during
battles.
It s been so long, Cahil said. A brief sadness pulled at his face. What do they mean?
It says, Sieges weathered, fight together, friends forever. It was a gift.
Someone in the north?
Loneliness touched my heart as I thought of what I had lost by coming south. My fingers sought the lump
under my shirt, Valek s butterfly. Yes.
Who?
An odd question. Why would he care? I searched Cahil s face for some sign of duplicity, and found only
curiosity. Janco. One of my self-defense teachers. I grinned at the memories of Janco singing his
rhymes and knocking aside my attacks. Without him and Ari, I wouldn t have had the skills to escape
you and take on Goel today.
They taught you well. Cahil ran a hand along his neck, smearing the drop of blood.
He seemed deep in thought as he turned my switchblade in his hands. He pushed the blade into the
handle then triggered it. The snick from the weapon made me flinch.
Well made, he said.
Cahil stepped toward me. I scrambled upright and stood in a defensive stance. Even though I was
light-headed and weak, I contemplated my chances of getting away. Instead of threatening me, Cahil
retracted the blade and gave me the switchblade. I looked at the weapon in my hand with a tired
astonishment.
A truce, then, he said. But any trouble and I ll have you in chains. Cahil gestured to a corner of the
tent. You re exhausted. Get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow. Placing his sword back within
reach, Cahil lay down on his cot.
Do you want to know where Goel is? I asked.
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